Ranges
5 Tuesday, 5 September, 2017
Trader
Kallista kindergarten’s new look
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A Mail News Group publication
Covering the Dandenongs in the Yarra Ranges & Cardinia Shires
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CCTV is needed
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Mount Dandenong educator and childcare service provider, Brenna Thomson, has been acknowledged with a regional award for her outstanding contributions in helping out local families and their children. Now in with a chance to win a national award, Ms Thomson topped the region in the recent 2017 Excellence in Family Day Care Awards. She achieved the recognition through her service, Barefoot Family Day Care. Pictured is Brenna Thomson with children, from left: Joel, Lexi (front), Kiah and Ivy. 172318 Picture: ROB CAREW
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A Belgrave business has closed its doors due to enduring ongoing abuse and vandalism. The business is one of many in the main street strip that are seriously concerned over a group of individuals, who they say are constantly drinking in public and abusing customers, residents and staff. Due to fear of retribution, the business owners have asked to remain anonymous. The business owner said they’d been 'forced out’ due to 'vulgar behaviours’, adding they had received ongoing abuse at the hands of some groups who assembled near Blacksmith Way. “If you’re not safe in your business place and not protected, then you don’t really want to stay,” the business owner said. “They sit in the doorway drinking; you couldn’t approach or confront them. “They harass you, intimidate you, they’re aggressive, it doesn’t make you feel safe at all and doesn’t make you want to come to work.” Various business owners have verified the group of around 20 people regularly meet to drink alcohol near the entrance to Belgrave Station. One store owner, whose store backs on to Blacksmith Way, said they regularly found drug paraphernalia there and, when leaving work, many employees had been approached by the group. “We’ve been dealing with drug paraphernalia out the back, dealing with the guys out the back who approach us when we’re out there," another Belgrave store owner said. “Sometimes you’re walking on the front of the street, especially come summer when it’s hot, and they are out for hours - it’s about to get really bad, they get really drunk, really early and you can’t even walk out the front sometimes, because they approach you.” Even Belgrave icon Baba Desi said he no longer risked going out after dark.
“I don’t really go out at night ... you used to be able to go anywhere,” he said. According to the Crime Statistics Agency, drug-related offences in Belgrave have risen 29 per cent since 2016 and crimes against the person offences have risen from 77 in 2016 to 102 for the period ending 18 April 2017. Business owners and residents are experiencing the statistics first-hand, with many reporting smashed and scratched windows. While there is no evidence to suggest the two are related - both Belgrave police and business owners believe that CCTV would improve safety. Police allege the offenders are coming from suburbs near Belgrave with most being considered locals to the Dandenong Ranges. “There’s not much CCTV in Belgrave,” Sergeant Mick Hall at Belgrave Police said. “We are there regularly as it’s one of our patrol targets ... some have been arrested for being drunk and we give them infringement notices.” Drinking in public comes with a $200 on-thespot fine from council and anyone who sees this behaviour in Belgrave is urged to contact police. CTTV technology is on its way to Belgrave and will be part of a major rollout which will also see Monbulk and Mount Evelyn included, but no date has been set. Lisa Brooks, part of the Proactive Policing Unit at Lilydale, said the CCTV units would all be relayed to local police stations as well as Lilydale, which is the only 24-hour station in the Yarra Ranges. “It’s a safety and security measure ... they’ve been proven to work very effectively as a deterrent to crime,” she said. But some business owners can no longer wait for CCTV and have decided to move on instead. “I would rather risk losing money and moving than staying here and dealing with the abuse and the stress of having them outside my shop,” the business owner who is leaving said.
265747-LH34-6
By Derek Schlennstedt